Double Cross: An Avatar Fanfic
by numbuh777
Summary: This takes place after "Bitter Work", or after Team Avatar had picked up Toph but before they had lost Appa. Aang goes missing in the middle of the night, and it's up to the Gaang to find him. Avatar-canonical. Probably no pairings, sorry.
1. Prologue: Part 1

Hey everyone, I'm Numbuh777. This is my first fanfic here. Hope you guys enjoy this. Please R&R.

PROLOGUE: PART 1

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**Double Cross – An Avatar Fanfic**

_**Location: Somewhere in Earth Kingdom Territory  
Time: 0100 hours**_

Anyone around would tell you that night was horrible. The night was dark, the sky cloud-ridden. Rain poured down by the bucketful, smashing against the leaves and trees again and again. The wind howled such that to cause fear. Indeed, all of the townsfolk were huddled safe in their snug, warm homes, knowing that to try to brave the fury of the thunderstorm was something only a mad or desperate man would do. No one would even dare to venture outdoors.

If someone would have left the comfort of their homes and walked to the edge of the forest, they would have noticed nothing out of the ordinary. But if that certain person happened to look up, they would have seen something unusual.

They would have seen a small figure, far off in the distant sky, flying to some unknown location. They would have seen him using some sort of contraption, possibly a glider, to travel freely in the air. They would have seen a small animal, perhaps a lemur, flying alongside him. They would have seen the bald head, adorned only with a blue arrow.

And they would have seen the grim, unsmiling expression on his face.

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- NUMBUH777


	2. Prologue: Part 2

Hey everybody.......I really hope I got this right. I'm still kinda new to this, so, any tips would be appreciated. Please R&R.  
Ok, this is Numbuh777 signing out with: "Double Cross".

PROLOGUE: PART 2

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_**Location: A small Earth Kingdom village  
Time: 1900 hours (6 hours earlier)**_

The rain drizzled down softly and slowly. It was a cool evening. A single villager strolled down an alley, his manner nonchalant. He was the perfect image of a hardworking farmer coming home for the night. Anyone would swear he was totally unsuspicious. Another person among hundreds. He seemed to be making for a little hut, situated in the middle of the village. Again, another ordinary hut in an ordinary street. Perfectly normal.

Once there, however, he knocked thrice, paused, and then knocked again. A slide in the door opened and a whispered conversation seemed to take place. Then a yellow envelope, with a red streak on it, was passed through the slide. The villager picked it up, glanced around furtively, and casually strolled away, his manner once again ordinary.

Up on a nearby hill, two figures could be seen half-hiding in nearby bushes. A telescope was put to the eye of one of them, and he did not look happy. The other was sitting on a grass mat, holding up an umbrella, and watching the scene below with a satisfied smile on his face.

The first figure spoke.

"Uncle, we are too late. The messenger has left with the note to the Avatar." With his voice rising, and with fire in his eyes, the implication was all too clear.

The second person continued to smile, then held up a yellow envelope with a red streak. Perfectly identical to the one the messenger left with.

"It seems that we are not too late after all, Prince Zuko."

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- NUMBUH777


	3. Chapter 1: Part 1

Good morning, my peoples! I have come with the first chapter of "Double Cross"! Tell all your friends and family, and enjoy!  
Please remember to Read and Reply. Post messages. Anything you want. Compliments, insults, advice, snide comments, anything. And a huge thanks to zukoxlover as my first replier. Much appreciated for your help.  
Yes, zukoxlover, I'm still on, but it's hard to keep my fanfic up on the boards.

Alright. Enough talk. Let's rock and roll!

CHAPTER ONE - PART ONE

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_**Location: Team Avatar's Campsite  
Time: 0800 hours (7 hours later)**_

"Nnnnoooooooo!!!!!!!"

The shout woke the two kids, which had until now been sleeping peacefully. Toph and Katara sat up and glanced around, trying to rub the sleepiness out of their eyes, straining their ears for…............

"Aaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!"

The scream echoed around again, sounding like the cry of the inhuman.

Then Sokka stormed into the campsite, eyes blazing, with anger on his face.

"Alright, where is it? _Somebody_ stole my only bag of salted meats! It was you, wasn't it Toph?" Sokka ranted in fury.

"Me? Yeah right. Like I would steal the meat from a selfish, insulting jerk that woke me up............ Actually, come to think of it, yeah, I probably would steal it." Toph replied, a smirk on her face.

"What!? Why, you……" Sokka spluttered.

Leaving them bickering like children, Katara smiled and strolled away to get a drink. Then she frowned. Something was missing.

"Guys!" Katara shouted. "Do you feel like there's something missing?"

Sokka wheeled around in surprise. "Duh! My salted meats? I've been yelling at Toph for the past 5 minutes!"

"For the last time, I DID NOT TAKE THEM!!!!!!" Toph retorted. "It's only meat anyway."

"Only meat? I've been saving those meats for days! And it's gone!" Sokka groaned. He knelt on the ground, holding his head in his hands. "Oh, my meat, my beautiful meat….."

Katara grinned. The she glanced around again, taking stock of her surroundings.

_Ok,_ she thought._ What's missing from Team Avatar?_ _Me, Appa, Sokka, Toph……..__Everything seems to be here except for……_

_The Avatar._

"Toph! Sokka! Aang's gone!"

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- Numbuh777


	4. Chapter 1: Part 2

Numbuh777 here, checking in with another part for "Double Cross"! Hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I have!  
Before I go on, a favour to ask from you all. Please leave a review. Anything. Compliments, Snide comments, Criticism, all will be taken on board.  
All right, me hearties, here we go!!

CHAPTER 1 - PART 2

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"Aang's gone? But how?" Toph asked.

"I don't know." Katara answered. "But we need to find him."

Sokka stared at the two of them, an incredulous look on his face. "Oh, I get it. If Sokka's meats go missing, it's ok. But when Aang disappears, oh no! We have to find him! I think you guys need to get your priorities in order."

The others looked at him strangely.

"O-kay." Katara said. "Anyway, Aang must have left when we were asleep. Now, the question is, why? Why would he leave?"

"Maybe he couldn't stand to be around a smug, meat-loving, annoying Water-Tribe villager." Toph suggested pointedly.

"That is it! I've had enough of you!" Sokka screamed. He leaped onto Toph, knocking her to the ground before Katara pulled him off.

"Guys!" Katara said. "Stop fighting! We need to find Aang!"

Sokka stood up and brushed himself off. "Maybe it had something to do with the note we got last night." He suggested, eyes still shooting daggers at Toph.

"But didn't I tell Aang not to go?" was Katara's shocked reply.

"Yes you did," Toph reminded. "But that doesn't mean he listened."

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- NUMBUH777


	5. Chapter 1: Part 3

The next part. Read. Leave a review. Please.

- NUMBUH777

CHAPTER 1 - PART 3

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_Flashback_

_**Location: Team Avatar's Campsite**_

_**Time: 2200 hours (10 hours earlier)**_

"It's too dangerous, Aang!"

"But this says that someone has information for me! I have to go!"

Aang and Sokka glared at each other, each resolute in their opinion. But before they could continue, Katara stepped into the fray.

"Sorry Aang, but I'm with Sokka on this one. There are Fire Nation soldiers out there waiting to capture you, and I don't think the information is worth the risks."

Aang looked at her in disbelief. "Katara, this informant knows something about the history of the Southern Air Temple! It's my home! I need to find out what he knows about it!"

"Aang, what would some random guy know about the Air Temple? You're the last Airbender alive, so you would know more about it than someone else, right? Trust me on this one, Aang. Don't go."

Aang sighed. He turned to Toph. "What do you think?"

Toph shrugged. "I can't believe that I'm actually agreeing with Sokka and Katara, but this sounds like a bad idea. Just forget it."

Aang looked down and muttered something, then looked up again and smiled.

"Alright guys. I guess I'm outvoted on this one. I don't need to know the information, right? It's probably false anyway."

Katara nodded. "Alright guys, go to sleep. We're all tired, so let's get some rest."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Sokka said, leaping into his tent. Toph was already sleeping soundly.

Katara made to follow them, but something made her glance at Aang. He was wrapped in a blanket and lying on Appa's soft fur, but not sleeping. Instead he was staring up at the sky.

"Aang, are you okay?" Katara ventured.

Aang looked over at her. "I'm fine." He replied shortly, again gazing at the night sky.

Katara left and went to her own tent to sleep, still with a worried expression on her face, but satisfied that Aang wouldn't leave without telling the group.

But she had no idea that Aang was still clutching the note tightly in his hand.

And that plans were being made.

_End Flashback  


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- NUMBUH777


	6. Chapter 1: Part 4

CHAPTER 1 - PART 4

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_**Location: Team Avatar's Campsite**_

_**Time: 0830 hours (10 and a half hours later)**_

Sokka did some rapid calculations.

"If Aang left us at about midnight, he would have been back by now. Something must have happened to him."

Katara sighed. "I can't believe he lied to us. I was sure he wouldn't go." She said sadly.

Toph walked over to her. "Hey, it's ok. He fooled me too. I didn't even sense him leaving." Then under her breath she added: "But only because I was sleeping."

Sokka interrupted. "Ok guys. I really love this 'It's-my-fault-no-it's-my-fault' stuff, but none of this is going to help us find Aang. So, who remembers what the note said?"

"Well, it said like, someone has information on the Air Temple……….." Toph recalled.

"……….and that he was scared of the guards……….." Katara continued.

"…….and so he wanted to meet Aang secretly." finished Sokka. "So, now, where did it say the meeting place was?"

The other two stared at him blankly.

"Oh, great."

_Snap._

Toph spun around. "What's that noise?" she exclaimed.

Sokka and Katara froze. "What did you hear, Toph?" Katara whispered.

"I don't know. But it's sure to be bad." Toph replied.

Katara popped the lid off her water skin. Sokka unsheathed his club and took out his boomerang. Toph adjusted her Earthbending stance, all the while still listening.

Silence.

Then Toph spoke. "Here it comes."

There was a rustling in the bushes at her voice. Team Avatar tensed, weapons ready, waiting for someone, something, whatever it was to…………….

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- NUMBUH777


	7. Chapter 2: Part 1

To all the wonderful people who read this fanfic, and to all the even more wonderful people who actually reviewed it.....  
Hello.  
To be precise, I apologise for the fact that I have almost abandoned this fanfic, and I'm sorry. In future, I shall endeavour to update this more frequently.

So, as penance, I present to everybody out there, The premiere of the second chapter of "Double Cross"! Happy reading, and please R&R!

CHAPTER 2 - PART 1

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_**Location: An Abandoned Fortress**_

_**Time: 0130 hours (7 hours earlier)**_

Thump.

The young boy on the glider landed softly. Twirling it around expertly, he glanced around, senses alert, looking for a sign of life and finding none.

He was in some sort of fortress, walls running around every side. By the looks of the stone, it hadn't been disturbed for ages. Broken sections of stone littered the ground, strewn everywhere in days gone by. The result was an absolute ruin.

Stumbling forward in the near-total darkness, Aang moved to the middle of the fortress, dripping wet and staff in hand. He could see nothing. Indeed, it was impossible to see anything against the rain and wind.

Momo chattered and leapt onto Aang's shoulder. Aang stroked him, muttering half to Momo and half to himself:

"I know, Momo. I shouldn't have run off. The others were right; there isn't anyone here at all."

He was dejected at the fact that someone called him out here for nothing.

Then he stared.

A single fireball shot out of the night, whistling up in the sky. As if on cue, all around him torches were lit, revealing in their flame hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers standing on the walls, ready to strike.

Aang was totally surrounded.

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- NUMBUH777

Don't forget to R&R!

Check out my blog for the continuation of "Double Cross", thewritestories(dot)wordpress(dot)com


	8. Chapter 2: Part 2

Good day, fellow citizens. How goes your day? Here's another instalment of 'Double Cross' - don't forget to R&R and give me your thoughts!

CHAPTER 2 - PART 2

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**_Location: An Abandoned Fortress_**

**_Time: 0130 hours (7 hours earlier)_**

Aang gasped in surprise, and then brought his staff up, ready for fight or flight. Next to him, Momo squealed and sped away.

For at least 10 minutes, it was a tense stand-off. Neither side moved.

Then Aang brought his staff forward and the soldiers fired at him as one.

Hundreds of steams of fire shot towards him….

…At which Aang smiled and spun his staff around….

…Causing the surrounding air to deflect the fire, shooting it back at the soldiers!

It was a spectacular sight.

The flames hit every man squarely on their chest, felling them where they stood. Groans and cries of pain filled the air.

Aang turned, ready to flee. He opened his glider, started to step forward…..

….At which a voice rang out.

"I don't think you want to leave, Avatar."

Pause.

"Unless you want an entire village to be destroyed."

Aang was surprised. He stopped.

The voice spoke again.

"Two signals from me, and my men will blow up the dam wall, cracking a hole in it and flooding the village. Do you want that to happen?"

If Aang was disbelieving before, he was full on incredulous now. He replied as such.

"You can't be serious!" He shouted.

"Oh really?" The voice came again.

Then a single flame shot up into the night sky, and to Aang's horror another bolt of flame was returned some distance away. An answering signal.

The voice spoke again, this time dangerously quiet.

"Do you want me to give the second signal, Avatar? Or are you going to escape with the village's destruction on your conscience?"

Aang's shoulders slumped in agonised defeat. Dropping his staff, he raised his hands in surrender. Two Fire Nation soldiers rushed up and, grasping his arms, they led him through the courtyard and down a stairwell.

But on Aang's face was a look of stunned surprise.

For a momentary flicker of a lantern had revealed the owner of the mysterious voice.

It had revealed the triumphant face…..

….of Prince Zuko.

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- NUMBUH777


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